InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reunion ❯ Chapter Twenty-eight: Aftermath ( Chapter 28 )

Chapter Twenty-eight

A/N: Greetings and salutations! It feels good to be writing again. I hope that I haven't lost my creative edge during my absence. Oh well, we shall soon see. Thanks to everyone for the great reviews. I take a lot of pleasure in the knowledge that you like my work. I hope that I continue to please and entertain you. This story is taking longer than I originally planned it to. It has taken on a life of it's on and sometimes seems to be writing itself. I am not sure how much longer it will be as I still have several unresolved issues. I know how I want to resolve them, for the most part, but I keep getting new ideas. sigh Enough of my troubles, on to the obligatory disclaimer. I don't own Inuyasha, but I will soon own an English translation for the first Inuyasha movie. It is set for release in the US the seventh of September. The second movie is set for release on the twenty-eighth of December. And now, 'Exit, stage left, and on with the show, even!' (Good luck getting that reference!)

Inuyasha saw the forest a few hundred feet from the garden as he went over the wall. He became a brown blur as he ran for the comfort of the trees. His brain was in overload and he was acting on his instinct to get into a place that he could lose himself. When he hit the edge of the forest, he leapt into the branches of the first tree that he came to and began leaping from tree to tree, going deeper into the forest. He stopped in a small clearing and looked around him, his chest heaving with emotion. With a wild look in his eyes, he suddenly attacked the nearest tree with a scream of rage. After the first tree fell to his claws, he attacked another. And another. And another. Finally, his rage spent, he fell to his knees and began to weep. He threw back his head in grief and screamed, "Why?", and then fell forward beating the ground with his fists. Each punch was punctuated with the question of ,"Why? Dammit, why?" After a few minutes of this, he sat back up with a groan and took a deep breath. That's when he noticed the tree that stood above all the others. Never taking his eyes off his new found goal, he surged off the ground and headed for the comfort of the highest branches of this towering tree.

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Inutaro fled the garden of his great-aunt with unshed tears blurring his vision. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the confession from his mother that had shattered his world. As he left the manor, he headed straight for the forest that had been his comfort through the years. From his earliest childhood, he had taken comfort in the quiet solitude that one could find in a forest. Even though his father had been the cousin to the lord, he still had been persecuted for being a hanyou. Fortunately, because of the sentiments of Lord Tanaka and Lady Mariko, the taunts were kept at just that, taunts. Anything more would have earned the displeasure of the lord and that was unwise. His father. 'Isn't that a damn joke?' he thought. All these years he had dreamed of meeting the man that his mother had described with such love and when he finally does meet him all his dreams turned to nightmares. When he hit the edge of the forest, he drew his sword and began taking out his frustrations on the limbs and saplings. He did not swing wildly; he maintained the discipline that had been taught him by Daremo's father. Each swing was perfectly timed with his steps as he ran. He had a certain destination in mind and as he neared it, he stopped to sheath his sword and catch his breath. As he stood there, panting, he leaned his head back so that he faced the sky and said, in great pain, "Why, mother, why?" He bowed his head forward and let the tears fall from his eyes as he made his way to his place of comfort, the tree that stood above all the others, his tree.

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Inuyasha climbed to the highest branches that would bear his weight then settled back against the trunk. He stared at the sky, seeing nothing. He felt as if his head would explode from the thoughts that were running wild within it. 'What was she thinking? How did she manage to... oh Kami-sama, I don't even want to go there!' That thought made him sick but it made him wonder what else could have happened to him. 'What else did she do to me? Did she stop at ... using ... me or did she do something else?' Then another line of thought came to his mind. 'I'm glad that Kagome and I haven't. Now, leaving her won't be as hard on her. Yyeeaahhh, rrighht. Kagome won't let me go. She could forgive me anything, even this.' His subconcious pipped in, 'What do you mean forgive you? Forgive you of what?'

'Haven't you been paying attention? Some woman had sex with me! And now we have a child!'

'Oh, that. Kagome doesn't have to forgive you for that, you baka! YOU did nothing wrong. It's not like you enjoyed it. You don't remember it.'

'But, I should have been able to stop it! My body shouldn't have reacted to her!'

'And just how were you supposed to keep that from happening? YOU WERE ASLEEP! And, you know that ahem certain things happen when you're asleep.'

'That doesn't happen unless I'm dreaming about Kagome.'

'Uh-huh. Tell another one. You forget that I'm always with you and there was a time when you couldn't wake up in the morning without parts of you waking up first. Just because you dream about Kagome on a nightly basis now doesn't mean that it didn't happen before you met her.'

'Now, look here...' Inuyasha's internal argument was interupted by a noise below him. He looked over the edge of the limb to see Inutaro settling on a limb below him. "Why that dirty sneak." he muttered and dropped to the limb that Inutaro was sitting on.

As Inuyasha landed, Inutaro nearly jumped out of his skin. His hand went to his sword hilt, preparing to draw his sword when he realized who had dropped in on him. He glared at Inuyasha. "What are you doing in my tree?" he snarled.

"Your tree?" retorted Inuyasha, "I was here first! What are you doing following me?"

"Yes. My tree. I've been coming to this tree for over forty years, so that makes it mine! And I wasn't following you."

"What ever! I was still here first, so get out of here!"

Inutaro started to growl back a challenge, then thought about what had happened in the last hour. "Very well, Father. I'll leave since you can't stand the sight of me." This was said with bitter disappointment.

"DON'T call me father. And don't put words into my mouth. I never said that I couldn't stand the sight of you."Inuyasha got a surprised look on his face. 'Oh, man!' he thought. 'I've been around Kagome so long, I'm getting soft.'

"But, but don't you hate me because of what mother did?" Inutaro looked at Inuyasha hopefully and yet fearing what he might hear.

Inuyasha snorted. "I hate what Yukiho did. I don't know you, so how could I hate you. But," Inuyasha continued when he saw the look of hope on Inutaro's face, "that doesn't mean I love you either. Like I said, I don't know you enough to form an opinion yet."

Inutaro was crestfallen, but he saw the sense of his father's words. He changed the subject. "Why don't you want me to call you father? You are, you know."

Inuyasha growled in frustration. "Look, in the space of one day, I went from a man looking for his aunt and cousin, to a man who has found out that he has a mate that he knew nothing about. Add the fact that there is a son that was conceived without my knowledge or consent and the fact that he looks older than me..... you begin to get the idea. You might be my son, but having you call me father is just too creepy."

"So what do you want me to call you?"

"Just call me 'Inuyasha' for now."

"Okay....Inuyasha."

An uncomfortable silence came between them. Finally, Inuyasha broke the silence by asking, "So, you like to climb trees?"

Inutaro was startled by the question and then began to laugh. "Apparently, I come by it honest."

Inuyasha smiled slightly. "Yeah. I guess you do."

"So, Fath ... uhm ... Inuyasha, what do we do now?"

groan "I guess we go back and try and sort this mess out. Much as I hate to say it, maybe one of the others has an idea that we can use. hunh I'm even desperate enough to listen to Sesshoumaru."

Inutaro stiffened. "Sesshoumaru? Isn't he the demon lord of the west?"

"Unless there's another one."

"And you know him?"

snort "You could say that. He's my brother."

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Sesshoumaru had almost made it back to the garden when Daremo emerged with Yukiho, her hands tied in front of her with the sash from her robe. They were followed by a crying Takara and Lady Mariko. One of Sesshoumaru's eyebrows lifted as they passed, but he made no comment. He continued to the garden to find Kagome in Miroku's arms with Sango holding her from behind. "It appears that much has happened during my absence." he said to himself.

"That is an understatement, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru turned his head to see Lord Tanaka standing beside the door. The lord's former jovial appearance was gone and had been replaced with a more careworn look. "If I may inquire?"

"As it concerns your brother, you may. We just had another very startling revelation." Genki took a deep breath. "Apparently, Yukiho was not content with just taking Inuyasha as a mate without his consent, she also conceived a son by him without his consent."

Sesshoumaru stood very still as he digested this piece of news. "In other words, she raped my brother." he stated in a very quiet voice.

Genki nodded. "That's when I had Daremo place her under arrest. She must give a full account of what she has done and then I must judge her."

"Do not concern yourself with her judgement. She will not live to hear it." Sesshoumaru turned to follow Daremo and administer his judgement.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! You will not interfere!"

Sesshoumaru turned his head and regarded Lord Tanaka over his shoulder. "You tread on dangerous ground, Lord Tanaka. I am the demon lord of the west and my judgements are final. This foul excuse for a woman has cast shame on the honor of my family. I will tolerate no interferance."

Lord Tanaka's eyes narrowed in anger. "You forget yourself, Lord Sesshoumaru. This is my house, my province. And, Inuyasha is in my family, as well. It is for me to make judgements, not you."

"Please, stop fighting."

Both lords turned to see that Kagome had walked up to them. She was still holding Shippou. Miroku and Sango were behind her. "Please, Lord Sesshoumaru, don't harm Yukiho. We don't know what affect it will have on Inuyasha and I don't want to see him hurt over what that woman has done."

Sesshoumaru regarded her for a moment and then inclined his head. "I will suspend my judgement, for the time being. But, I warn you, Lord Tanaka, once Inuyasha is free of this woman, I expect full satisfaction." Sesshoumaru started to leave the garden when he stopped. "I would assume that my brother did not take the news of his son well."

"None of us did." snapped Sango.

"He went over the wall, if that's what you're wondering." stated Kagome. "He probably went somewhere to think things through."

"Thinking has never been one of Inuyasha's strengths. Knowing him, he probably went somewhere to destroy some trees." Miroku held up a hand at the glare from Kagome and Sango. "After he has demolished a few trees, he will seek out the tallest he can find and then think." Miroku looked at the women. "You know that I am right." Both women sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Then that is were I shall seek him out." Sesshoumaru prepared to jump over the garden wall. Kagome's voice held him back.

"Wait, Lord Sesshoumaru. I want to go with you. He needs me."

Kagome waited while Sesshoumaru seemed to think it over. He then made a gesture for her to stand beside him. When she had made her way to his side, he suddenly stooped slightly and picked her up with his one arm the way a man picks up a child. Startled, she threw her arms around his neck and Shippou scampered to her shoulder. He said nothing as he leapt to the top of the wall. Once there, he paused to take in a deep breath through his nose. He indicated the forest about one hundred paces from the garden wall. "His scent leads toward that forest." In the distance, they could see one tree above the others. "If the monk's words are correct, then Inuyasha will be at that tree." Sesshoumaru jumped to the ground and began running toward the tree with Kagome and Shippou holding on for dear life.

Miroku, Sango, and Genki watched them go over the wall and then looked at each other. Before they could speak, a voice interrupted their thoughts. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" the high pitched voice called. "Sorry to fall behind, milord, but Rin had to, eh, well, never mind what Rin had to do. Lord Sesshoumaru?" Jaken came into the garden at a trot, callng for his lord. Rin was right behind him. Jaken looked over the scene before him. "Hey! Where is Lord Sesshoumaru? What have you done with him, you miserable humans?"

Miroku picked up his staff and silently said a prayer for patience. "Lord Sesshoumaru took Kagome and Shippou and went looking for Inuyasha."

huh "And why would he go looking for Inuyasha?"

groan "Sango? Would you please take Rin so that I can explain this to Jaken without her hearing? I think that she is a little young to understand."

"To be sure. Rin? Come with me, please. Let's go play with Kirara."

Rin smiled in delight. "I would love to." she told Sango, holding out her hand to take Sango's hand.

As Sango led the little girl away, Jaken looked at Miroku, crossly. "Okay. Now, what is going on?"

sigh "Sit down, Jaken. This is going to take a few minutes." This said, Miroku began telling the toad demon all that had happened after he had left the garden the first time.

A/N: Well, that's all for now. I'll be updating next week, so until then, take care and God bless. See ya'.